Following its loss to USC, Ohio State enters the final stretch of the season with little room for error as the Buckeyes fight to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.

Despite key players sidelined, Ohio State still has the offensive talent to win games. But fundamental mistakes and a lack of execution continue to prevent the Buckeyes from finishing drives.

"I think it does hurt missing some guys, but I think at the end of the day, we feel like we have enough here to win these games," Day said.

Ohio State Must Eliminate Self-Inflicted Mistakes

Freshman Luke Fahey had his first start at quarterback against the Trojans, but his offense didn’t back him up.

Ohio State outgained USC 464–338 and dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 39:28 compared to USC's 20:32. But that production didn't translate into results, as penalties, dropped passes and a costly turnover repeatedly stalled the Buckeyes' momentum.

The mistakes were particularly costly in the red zone, where Ohio State struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Running back Isaiah West acknowledged the team's self-inflicted mistakes and emphasized the importance of cleaning things up before Oregon.

"There's no reason we should be jumping offsides. There's no reason we should have 12 people on the field. There's no reason we should be holding. Like, this is day one fundamental stuff," West said.

West also noted Oregon’s record is deceiving—they have the talent to overpower the Buckeyes if Ohio State doesn’t play clean.

Luke Fahey Will Get Another Opportunity Against Oregon

Day confirmed that Fahey will remain Ohio State's starting quarterback against Oregon.

In his first career start, Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. While there were some missed throws and growing pains, Day praised the freshman's toughness and admitted the team didn't do enough to support him.

"Like we said going into it, we all gotta help this guy out, and I don't think we did," Day said.

Day also acknowledged that the coaching staff needs to do a better job putting Fahey in a position to succeed.

How Oregon Will Challenge Ohio State’s Offense

Oregon's pass rush could be a problem for Fahey on Saturday. The Ducks have two particularly dangerous edge rushers in Matayo Uiagalelei, who has six sacks this season, and Teitum Tuioti, who has 5.5.

Ohio State's offensive line has to step up after a lackluster performance against USC, where Fahey was sacked twice and pressured 21 times. Captain and offensive lineman Austin Siereveld was also flagged for a false start, one of three committed by the Buckeyes against USC.

Siereveld revealed that the offensive line struggled with communication in the red zone against the Trojans, particularly when switching between cadences and operating on a silent count. Ohio State needs to simplify its snap communication against the Ducks so everyone is on the same page.

Oregon’s secondary has also been opportunistic, holding opposing quarterbacks to a 55.2% completion rate. That presents another test for Fahey as he prepares for his second career start.